“Acquiring a new client costs a whole lot more than generating an order through an existing client.”

Boost your client base

• As long as there are clients in your area that want a healthy, green lawn, you will have prospects to market your business to. Remember that a Lawnpro franchisee is capable of doing the entire service for a home owner for more or less the same amount as what it would cost the home owner if he did the job himself, and much safer at that.
• Franchise businesses who deliver a service from home have numerous ways to generate leads for their own business depending on the personality of the franchisee. Marketing in Lawnpro is a relatively time consuming function in the beginning.

Kick off

• Whatever happens, most new franchisees start by telling their friends, previous colleagues and family what they are up to - and landing a pretty handful of work this way?

Pamphlet distribution

• Lawnpro has developed a mildly successful marketing plan based upon leaflet distribution at stop streets and traffics lights, which will help grow your business.
• We will train you and make the appropriate marketing materials available. Lawnpro develops new marketing initiatives on a regular basis.

Courtyard marketing

• A good, but reasonably expensive format of marketing is what we like to refer to as courtyard marketing. This is normally undertaken at forecourts in shopping malls, fuelling station driveways, events and a busy retail outlet's forecourt; with the right permission and something in return, of course. We will give you guidance in this respect.
• Once a franchise has reached his targeted capacity per trailer he can stop selling the service. He can then rely on word of mouth advertising, passing traffic and referrals. 

The Lawnpro Trailer

• The trailer is a visible primary lead generator. Prospects will contact franchisees by contacting the number on the trailer, or you will be asked by a neighbor to come and do for them what you are doing for their neighbor.
• We refer to this as keeping up with Jones.

Door to door

The absolute best lead generating is door to door on Saturdays, when you will visit a prospective client and offer to do a 14 pt free lawn analysis on his lawn. You will be properly dressed, friendly and well prepared.

• Courtesy cards
• Fridge magnets
• 14 pt Lawn Analysis forms
• Price lists
• Quote forms
• Contract pads
• Pen
• Scribble block

 "Acquiring a new client costs a whole lot more than generating an order through an existing client."

• There is real growth potential in a sole trader's existing customer base, but many fail to realize its full potential. Often, more energy goes into attracting new customers than looking after current ones.
• Yet our existing customer base is one of our business's best assets. It is where the real growth potential for our business lies and where untapped profits can be found.
• Acquiring a new client costs a whole lot more than generating an order through an existing client.
• However, there are ways to bring in "new business" from "old clients" that provide considerably more profitable and satisfying results.
• To do this successfully, you first need to develop the mindset that your current customer base is your most valuable asset. Treat your clients as if they are your lifeblood, because that is exactly what they are to your business. Responding to their needs should take priority over prospecting for new clients.
• Staying in touch with your clients just for the sake of staying in touch is yet another essential action that is regularly overlooked or at best handled very irregularly.
• You do not want to bombard existing customers with sales pitches or hassle them with daily phone calls, but you can keep in touch enough to keep your business present in their mind. Enough to show that you genuinely value their business; value their relationship with you.
• A popular means of this kind of customer contact is via an email newsletter.

Existing customers should be respected every bit as much as new customers.

• Honour your deadlines and guarantees.
• Do what you say you're going to do. Better still, do more.
• There is no surer way to lose credibility than failing to live up to your word.
• Respond quickly and never be late.
• When clients know they can rely on you, they return and will speak highly of you to others.
• Remember, the more you invest in your business's major asset, the more return you will reap. Happy clients make for a happy business.

Satisfied clients are more likely to refer others to you. Stay in touch and the chances are they will promote your business for a very long time.